Cowboys want rookies who won't 'pee their pants'

The Dallas Cowboys had a fairly simple metric when considering whom to draft last week.

“I think it was important for us to say, if we’re trying to build this thing and get to a point where we can win now, who has been able to handle the pressure of a big-time program?” assistant director of player personnel Will McClay said during a radio interview. “Who will most likely be able to come into a situation like the Dallas Cowboys and the microscope that we’re under with all the games we play on national TV, and not, pardon the expression, pee their pants? We want grown men that are able to handle the situation.”

That’s interesting language from an involved Cowboys official. Dallas drafted nine players, but five of those came in the seventh round, so the class may not be filled with instant contributors.

The franchise had its chance to select quarterback Johnny Manziel in the first round, but instead chose former Notre Dame offensive tackle Zack Martin.

Although it may not have been the splashy pick, it was the correct one. The Cowboys are invested in Tony Romo, so it makes sense to protect him as much as possible.

In the second and third rounds, the Cowboys selected outside linebackers Demarcus Lawrence and Anthony Hitchens.

Dallas filled several needs with its draft class, but did the picks help put the Cowboys closer to the playoffs? That remains to be seen, but at the very least, it’s clear the franchise expects its rookies to handle the scrutiny in Dallas.